A former athlete turned repeated dehydration setbacks into a Florida-based hydration startup.
After years of struggling with severe dehydration, painful muscle cramps, and two hospitalizations, Florida athlete and tennis player Spencer Heysek stopped looking for a better sports drink and decided to create one himself.
That decision led to the launch of ELECTROLETE, a Plant City-based hydration company founded by Heysek and Melina Norberto, a board-certified physician assistant. The company officially launched this month, entering the growing hydration market with a product aimed at athletes, outdoor workers and anyone spending long hours in Florida’s heat.
For Heysek, the business grew out of personal experience.
While training and competing across Florida, he regularly dealt with electrolyte depletion and full-body cramping. Despite trying numerous hydration products, the problem persisted and eventually resulted in two hospitalizations for rhabdomyolysis, a serious condition caused by muscle breakdown that can occur during extreme physical exertion and dehydration.
During one stay in a Miami hospital, Heysek received 15 bags of IV fluids over five days.
Those experiences convinced Heysek and Norberto that many hydration products weren’t designed to meet the demands of people training in hot, humid environments.
“Many sports drinks prioritize flavor and contain large amounts of sugar while offering relatively low electrolyte levels,” Norberto said. “We wanted to build something focused on hydration performance first.”
The company’s name combines the words “electrolyte” and “athlete,” reflecting its focus on sports performance and recovery.
Creating the formula took nearly a year. The founders worked with an NSF-certified manufacturer and research team, testing more than 20 flavor variations while refining the electrolyte blend and conducting third-party testing to verify quality and label accuracy.
The finished product is a hydration powder that contains six electrolytes and four vitamins without sugar, calories, artificial colors, or artificial flavors. Its first flavor, Limoné Rouge, combines lemon with a touch of raspberry.
Norberto said the company chose Reb M, a refined stevia extract known for having less bitterness than traditional stevia sweeteners, which helped improve the taste.
“One of the best parts of this process has been seeing people’s reactions,” she said. “Many are surprised a zero-sugar product can still taste clean and refreshing.”
Like many startups, ELECTROLETE is entering a crowded market dominated by major national brands with larger advertising budgets and established retail networks. Rather than competing through expensive marketing campaigns, the company has focused on grassroots outreach, appearing at races, athletic events, gyms, tennis tournaments, pickleball facilities and fitness gatherings throughout Florida.
The approach appears to be generating interest. The company has reported direct-to-consumer sales across the country while continuing to expand its presence in Florida’s sports and fitness communities.
Heysek believes Florida’s climate offers the ultimate proving ground for hydration products.
“If a hydration product can perform in Florida’s heat and humidity, it can perform almost anywhere,” he said.
Looking ahead, ELECTROLETE plans to grow through e-commerce sales, affiliate partnerships, wholesale programs and eventually retail distribution.
For now, the founders say their focus remains on building a Florida-based brand centered on performance, science and community involvement.
“We’re building this company from the ground up,” Heysek said. “The response from athletes so far has been incredible, and we’re excited about what’s ahead.”
ELECTROLETE is headquartered in Plant City and manufactures its products in the United States.
For more information, visit drinkelectrolete.com.
